Healthcare and austerity
EU’s Kyriakides promises to reinstate grants for health NGOs in EU4Health programme
Est. 3minThe European Commission will reinstate operating grants for health NGOs in the EU4Health programme, the EU's Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides has promised after European health NGOs joined forces in an online campaign this week.
Poor investment in digitising health hit Europe back with COVID-19
Est. 4minThe COVID-19 pandemic has reminded Europe that its piecemeal approach to investing in the digitisation of health systems comes at a cost, but not all countries and policymakers have yet learned the lesson, the chairman of the European Connected Health Alliance told EURACTIV.
Center-right MEPs call for special EU Parliament committee on cancer
Est. 6minThe European People’s Party (EPP), the biggest political group in the EU assembly, will ask for the creation of a special parliamentary committee to help formulate a new EU-wide plan to combat cancer. EURACTIV.com and EURACTIV.cz report from Strasbourg.
Two-thirds of deaths of under 75-year-olds could have been prevented
Est. 2minIn 2016, the deaths of 1.2 million Europeans under 75 were considered premature and could have been prevented, according to a report by Eurostat. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.
EU should tackle health inequality with investments: MSD official
Est. 4minEvery EU government should prioritise healthcare because only health citizens can be a driving force for economic growth, told EURACTIV Croatia Gabriele Grom, Vice President of MSD in Central Eastern Europe (CEE).
Disparities remain on how to tackle lung cancer in Europe, report says
Est. 7minEnhanced prevention measures, especially against tobacco and electronic cigarettes, combined with access to innovative treatments can help tackle rising lung cancer cases in Europe, a new study funded by the industry has found.
Romanian health minister: Prevention and innovative drugs to kill cancer
Est. 5minIn order to face the rising cancer incidence across Europe, governments should prioritise prevention policies, as well as access to innovative medicines under an EU-wide plan, Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Greek pharma boss: ‘We reached our limits, our sustainability is at stake’
Est. 8minThe Greek pharmaceutical industry has reached its limits due to a number of “unreasonable” burdens imposed by the government during the crisis, Greek pharma chief Olympios Papadimitriou told EURACTIV.com in an interview. The sustainability of pharma companies is at stake, threatening 86,000 jobs, he said.
Investment in digital health and access to drugs at the core of Austrian Presidency
Est. 11minAustria's EU Presidency will focus on "strong" investment in digital health as well as on regulatory issues when it comes to access to medicines, Dr Clemens Martin Auer told EURACTIV.com in an interview. Dr Clemens Martin Auer is the president of the European …
Greek business chief: Novartis scandal must be dealt with quickly to avoid ‘social eruption’
Est. 5minThe Novartis scandal in Greece exists and the people responsible for it should be dealt with quickly in order to avoid a “social eruption”, Greek business leader Konstantinos Michalos told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Greek politicians face probe in pharma bribery scandal
Est. 4minThe Greek parliament decided on 21 February to establish a special committee that will investigate the role of politicians in the alleged Novartis scandal, a case that analysts claim will shake up the country’s political system.
Pharma scandal whips up political storm in Greek opposition ranks
Est. 4minA probe into illegal practices of Swiss drugmaker Novartis in Greece, involving thousands of state officials and doctors, has opened the Pandora’s Box in Greek politics as local media have named ten former bigwigs from opposition parties as being targeted by the investigation.
EU southern alliance on drug pricing expands
Est. 3minSlovenia joined the “Valletta Declaration”, an alliance of southern EU member states, which aims to explore strategies to jointly negotiate prices with the pharma industry, as well as Croatia with an observer status.
Drug pricing debate to take place in heated atmosphere
Est. 3minFollowing a Greek government request, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) will discuss on Friday (8 December) a recent dispute between Athens and ROCHE, a Swiss multinational company, over the latter’s decision to withdraw a cancer drug from the market.
Europe’s excluded are falling through the cracks of healthcare
Est. 4minWhether it is an elderly German man who lost his job or a young boy that reached Europe fleeing war at home, Europe’s excluded are falling through the cracks of healthcare systems, writes Médecins du Monde.
Pharmaceutical company gives free access to drug after clash with Greek government
Est. 2minFollowing a clash with the Greek government over its decision to withdraw a cancer drug from the market, ROCHE, a Swiss multinational company, ultimately decided to make the drug available to patients for free.
Greek government on collision course with pharmaceutical companies over innovative drugs
Est. 4minSeveral pharmaceutical companies in Greece have threatened to stop supplying the market with innovative drugs and said they could even withdraw existing drugs as a result of an obligatory “discount” imposed by the Greek government and applied retroactively.
Access to medicines: Let’s have better care, for more patients
Est. 3minMarc-Alexander Mahl is President of Medicines for Europe. Europe’s healthcare model is under pressure. Populations are ageing in Europe – with the number of Europeans aged 65 or over set to rise by 45 million between 2015 and 2050.(1) This brings …
Patients: ‘Think carefully’ before questioning orphan drugs’ incentives
Est. 6minOrganisations of patients with rare diseases have warned EU policymakers to “think carefully” before reviewing the incentives in the orphan drugs regulation, claiming that the pharma industry should not be discouraged from investing in new therapies.
Pharma boss: Targeting drugs won’t make healthcare systems more sustainable
Est. 9min“Salami-slicing” the cost of medicines, which represent almost one-fifth of health system budgets and are subject to rigorous value assessments, won’t make healthcare systems more sustainable in the future, Nathalie Moll told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
EU agency OK’d 39 cancer drugs without evidence they work, study shows
Est. 2minThe European Medicines Agency approved 39 new cancer drugs between 2009 and 2013 despite having no evidence that they worked, unnecessarily exposing patients to toxicity, researchers said Thursday (5 October).
Antibiotic resistance is the best case for ‘more Europe’
Est. 6minNo country alone can tackle antimicrobial resistance and therefore an effective EU response is needed, backed up by policies and funds, writes Nina Renshaw.
Alcohol makers brace for EU-wide mandatory labelling
Est. 9minMakers of spirits and beer are exploring self-regulatory solutions to show consumers the ingredients contained in the alcohol they drink. However, they find the Commission's timeline "too tight" and fear mandatory rules will eventually be imposed on them.
Report finds human rights abuses in Europe’s nursing homes
Est. 2minAhead of the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day tomorrow (15 June), a new report heats up the discussion about the conditions of the elderly in Europe’s nursing homes.